Nintendo’s colorful post-apocalyptic 4vs4 team multi-player TPS surprise hit of 2015 makes a return on the Switch, with much of the same but with improvements all around for a fresher experience.

The main mechanic of the series are the Inklings, fashionable kids who can transform into squid form in order to swim in the ink they shoot for greater maneuverability. Further improving mobility is the ability to super jump straight to your allies positions. Inking turf also fills your special meter, which when filled can be activated to unleash the special skill connected to your weapon set in use.

Serious lore bit

Mankind has gone extinct after America was made great again. Thousands of years later, from the seas arose two humanoid races of cephalopod descent: Inklings and Octarians. At first things were amicable between the two, but with the rising of the seas - since they can’t swim in water - a war for territory broke out. Inklings won that with a last minute break of luck, but the threat of Octarian invasion still looms large - not that it seems to worry the hedonistic Inklings.

The Game

Unlike the previous game, this time around you rarely if ever encounter Japanese players, so now your lack of skills are less apparent. Private battles can be set up with your squid friends either online or locally in your local gaming den.

Maps and rank battle modes are rotated every two hours. You can check stats, upcoming maps and modes via the Switch phone app. Also has voice chat, but who really uses that?

Regular Battle Mode

Turf War The main battle mode of the game. The team that controls the most ground with their ink after a 3 minute period wins.

Rank Battle Modes (unlocked at level 10)

For the more serious gamer, these are more competitive than the more casual Turf War. Players ranks are now separate for each mode.

Splat Zone(s) Teams need to control all of the zone(s) on a map by covering them with their ink. When a team has control, their timer starts to count down to zero. Whoever exhausts their timer first or has the least, wins. Teams losing control of the zone are issued a penalty timer that has to be exhausted first when they regain control.

Tower Control Get on the tower and ride it to your opponent’s terminal. Whoever does that or gets the closest, wins. New to the mode, there are now checkpoints at certain points. You need to empty the checkpoint timer before you can continue your trip.

RainmakerFootballRugby Handegg, Inkling style. Teams try to take control of the Rainmaker, a single weapon of destructive capability, and carry it to the opponent’s pedestal for a decisive touchdown. The player carrying the Rainmaker can’t use their weapons or special, making them vulnerable to attacks - that is, if your opponents can survive a blast from the Rainmaker. Don’t hang on to it for too long though: When the Rainmaker’s timer runs out, splat goes the carrier. Whoever gets the Rainmaker closest to the pedestal, wins.

Clam Blitz Another inkling sport mode, you collect clams and throw them in the opponents basket. However, you need to open up the basket with a Power Clam. You create one by collecting 10 clams that are scattered all across the stage. After that, the basket will be open for a set time before it is closed again. Resealed baskets will also generate a Power Clam for counter-attacks. The first team to score 100 clams or the most after a set time wins the round. (Starts December 12th)

Other Modes

Salmon Rush A 4-player co-op mode where you fight off waves of crazed salmonids for their golden eggs. The more successful you are, the harder they’ll come. Enlist yourself as a part-time child laborer at Grizzly Co. and collect various meager goods and gears for your endeavors.

Splatfest Once in a blood moon, a question pours out from a horrid, horrendously ancient telecommunication device. A week later, an orgy of violence and destruction follows where families and relationships are torn apart by the seams while inklings vandalize all or any stable surface with blasphemous graffiti. All the while writhing aquatic figures chant in unison while demonic music emanates from atop the gate to the sacrificial Turf War grounds. A spectacle of madness for tentacled gods to gaze upon with malicious glee, their schadenfreudian laughter echoing in your mind like tinnitus.

All to answer a simple question from that horrid, horrendously ancient telecommunication device: “Which is better, cats or dogs?” The winning side receive Super Sea Snails, which can be used as currency for some shady dealers. The losing side gets... less of the same.

Single Player

Hero Mode Solve the mystery behind the disappearance of renown pop goddess Callie with the help of, err… Merry? Millie? Well, whatever. Somehow the sworn enemies of the Inkling way of life, the Octarian army, are involved, so you get to brush up your skills and maybe acquire new gear.

Gears

Apparel isn’t just a way to keep fresh: gears have various abilities that can give you an edge over the competition. Abilities provide beneficial effects, from improving ink consumption to providing special skills. Inklings wear three different sets of gears at a time: Headwear, clothes and shoes. Each gear has a main ability and up to three sub-abilities. Subs are weaker than mains and some abilities only appear as mains. When you purchase gears for the first time they’re without sub-abilities, but leveling them in combat reveals a random ability. Keep in mind that certain brands have a higher probability in unlocking certain abilities than others.

New to this game, you can now plant certain abilities straight to your gear instead of playing one-hand-robber. However, you need to have the abilities as patches. To generate patches, you need to have Murch reset a gear. Abilities wiped from gear are turned into patches that can be attached by Murch to a gear for a price.

Weapons

Can’t go around inking and splatting without some kind of weapon, now can we? Choosing the right tool for the job is essential in this game, so knowing the pros and cons of each is vital. Each weapon and its variant comes with their own set of sub-weapon and special.

Use Sheldon’s test range to get a feel of a weapon.

Shooters are your general all-arounders that are great for close to mid-range combat. Pick shooters with a wide spread if you like to get in their faces.

Chargers rule the long range. However, nobody likes chargers - your teammates included. You can now hold your charge for a short period while you move to a new position.

Rollers are for inking turf. Except with the carbon roller, they can instakill any inkling they roll over. Flicks are used for anyone out of range, but you need to get close to hit them.

Blasters produce exploding shots that can ink anything and anyone caught near the blasts. One direct hit, one splat. Poor firing rate means you are toast if someone gets near.

Sloshers are buckets that produce an arching shot, so no use hiding behind cover.

Splat Dualies offer akimbo shooting action with great maneuverability. Jumping while shooting makes you roll, making you harder to hit.

Brushes are basically faster rollers with a narrower mark. Great if you need to get from point A to B fast. You won’t roll over squids with this, but you can flick ‘em to submission - you just need to get close.

Splat Brellas keep you dry from enemy ink while you creep closer for the kill. Hold the ZR-button long enough and the canvas will detach and move forward, providing moving cover for you and your team.

Those are just a sampling of different weapons provided by Sheldon. Check his shop for fresh additions after leveling up.

Tips

If you don’t know a map, use the scout option in the lobby. Note that the same map has different layouts in different modes.

Swimming in ink quickly refills not only your ink tank but your health.

Use motion controls. Feel free to argue about it in the thread, but rare is a player who switches back to just dual stick controls after it clicks. Get used to them by going through the Octo Valley single player campaign.

Play for your team. Ink areas to provide greater mobility for yourself and your team.

Use the map to stay in the know of the situation. You know, the one behind the X button.

Super Jumping can quickly turn the tide of the game if you land safely. Don’t jump to a squid or beacon near the enemy unless you know what you’re doing. Likewise if you see an enemy’s super jump landing sign nearby, set up a welcoming party.

Use the right gear abilities to overcome shortcomings. Find your ink tank empty at inconvenient times too often? Expand the tank with an ability.

Goons

Nintengoons Discord server - For those who are more comfortable with Discord. Authenticate yourself in the #auth-waiting-room by typing !authme <yourforumname> and follow instructions.

I didn't have a Wii U so I'm excited to get to play this, since I only got to try the first game a few times at a friend's place. Is the single player really a substantial amount of content, or is it more like a 2 hour tutorial for the multiplayer like some games do?

I didn't have a Wii U so I'm excited to get to play this, since I only got to try the first game a few times at a friend's place. Is the single player really a substantial amount of content, or is it more like a 2 hour tutorial for the multiplayer like some games do?

The first one was more like a 6 hour tutorial for the multiplayer like some games do.
Think of it like if Mario Galaxy, only gravity is only in a single direction, and each planet is a little shooting gallery with a few unique things thrown in exclusively for the single-player (like bosses and some gimmicks). The little amount of stuff that was there wasn't bad, though.
Splatoon 2 seems like it'll be more of the same in terms of the single-player stuff, and I'm okay with that.

Could people please stop fighting the avatar war over my avatar. I really appreciate people being nice about it but I'm feeling crappier that people are wasting money because someone is an asshole than I am about the avatar in the first place.

Splatfest Once in a blood moon, a question pours out from a horrid, horrendously ancient telecommunication device. A week later, an orgy of violence and destruction follows where families and relationships are torn apart by the seams while inklings vandalize all or any stable surface with blasphemous graffiti. All the while writhing aquatic figures chant in unison while demonic music emanates from atop the gate to the sacrificial Turf War grounds. A spectacle of madness for tentacled gods to gaze upon with malicious glee, their schadenfreudian laughter echoing in your mind like tinnitus.

All to answer a simple question from that horrid, horrendously ancient telecommunication device: “Which is better, cats or dogs?” The winning side receive loads of shells. The losing side gets... less.

Since the last COD suuuuuuucked and I'm tired of Blops3 I'm hoping this can fill the cod-shaped hole in my heart

Oh it will fill so, so much more. Your entire heart will be swallowed by the tentacle bearing boiling pitch of Splatoon. You will awake on full moons to find yourself having gone on horrible killing sprees in which anyone who prefers cake to ice cream will have died by your hand. You will stare at the monster you've become in the mirror and only one word will come from your lips

Could people please stop fighting the avatar war over my avatar. I really appreciate people being nice about it but I'm feeling crappier that people are wasting money because someone is an asshole than I am about the avatar in the first place.

Could people please stop fighting the avatar war over my avatar. I really appreciate people being nice about it but I'm feeling crappier that people are wasting money because someone is an asshole than I am about the avatar in the first place.

I'm back!

First splatfest is a good one, and confirms that Marina is amazing and Pearl is awful

Could people please stop fighting the avatar war over my avatar. I really appreciate people being nice about it but I'm feeling crappier that people are wasting money because someone is an asshole than I am about the avatar in the first place.

Are there any male hairstyles where they let their tentacle hair down?

There's 4 hairstyles in the demo for boys, there's one where your hair is kinda half down to the side? But not really, its still tied in the back. The other two have pretty super short normal dude hair (one spikey short tentacles and the other one basically buzzed), and the fourth is the classic tentacle ponytail.

Could people please stop fighting the avatar war over my avatar. I really appreciate people being nice about it but I'm feeling crappier that people are wasting money because someone is an asshole than I am about the avatar in the first place.